Wireless Communication in an Elevator System Using a Plurality of Radio Channels

1. Elevator system (2) comprising: an elevator car (6) configured for traveling along a hoistway (4); a sensor (19) configured for determining a current position of the elevator car (6) within the hoistway (4); at least one stationary wireless communication module (20); and at least one mobile wireless communication module (22) attached to the elevator car (6); wherein the at least one stationary wireless communication module (20) and at the least one mobile wireless communication module (22) are configured for communicating with each other via a wireless data connection using one of a plurality of radio channels; and wherein the at least one stationary wireless communication module (20) and the at least one mobile wireless communication module (22) are configured for selecting the radio channel to be used for communicating from the plurality of radio channels based on the current position of the elevator car (6) within the hoistway (4); wherein a same radio channel is used for communicating between the at least one stationary wireless communication module (20) and the at least one mobile wireless communication module (22) at at least two adjacent floors along the hoistway.

2. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, wherein the elevator system (2) is configured for performing a normal run, the normal run comprising: moving the elevator car (6) along the hoistway (4); determining the current position of the elevator car (6) within the hoistway (4); selecting a radio channel to be used for communicating via the wireless data connection based on the current position of the elevator car (6) within the hoistway (4).

3. Elevator system (2) according to claim 2, wherein the at least one stationary wireless communication module (20) and the at the least one mobile wireless communication module (22) are configured for selecting the radio channel to be used for communicating via the wireless data connection from a channel table (25) associating positions of the elevator car (6) with a radio channel.

4. Elevator system (2) according to claim 3, wherein the normal run further comprises: determining a radio channel allowing proper or best communication via wireless data connection from the plurality of radio channels at selected positions of the elevator car (6) within the hoistway (4); and updating the channel table (25) by storing the determined radio channel together with the selected associated positions of the elevator car (6) in the channel table (25).

5. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, wherein the elevator system (2) is configured for performing a learning run, the learning run comprising: (i) moving the elevator car (6) along the hoistway (4); (ii) for a selected position of the elevator car (6) within the hoistway (4), determining a radio channel allowing proper or best communication via the wireless data connection from the plurality of radio channels; (iii) storing the determined radio channel together with the selected position of the elevator car (6); and (iv) repeating steps (ii) and (iii) for a selected number of different positions of the elevator car (6) within the hoistway (4).

6. Elevator system (2) according to claim 5, wherein a maximum speed of the elevator car (6) during the learning run is set slower than a maximum speed of the elevator car (6) during a normal run.

7. Elevator system (2) according to claim 1, wherein the elevator system (2) comprises a plurality of stationary wireless communication modules (20).

8. Elevator system (2) according to claim 7, wherein the stationary wireless communication modules (20) are distributed over a plurality of positions along the height of the hoistway (4).

9. Method of communicating via a wireless data connection between a mobile wireless communication module attached to an elevator car (6) traveling along a hoistway and a stationary wireless communication module, wherein the method comprises determining a current position of the elevator car (6) within the hoistway (4); and selecting a radio channel to be used for communicating via the wireless data connection between the mobile wireless communication module and the stationary wireless communication module from a plurality of radio channels based on the determined position of the elevator car (6); wherein a same radio channel is used for communicating between the stationary wireless communication module (20) and the mobile wireless communication module (22) at at least two adjacent floors along the hoistway.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the radio channel used for communicating via the wireless data connection is selected from a channel table (25) associating positions of the elevator car (6) with a radio channel.

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises: determining a radio channel allowing proper or best communication at selected positions of the elevator car (6); and updating the channel table (25) by storing the determined radio channel together with the respective associated positions of the elevator car (6) in the channel table (25).

12. Method according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises performing a learning run, the learning run comprising: (i) moving the elevator car (6) along the hoistway (4); (ii) for a selected position of the elevator car (6) within the hoistway (4), determining a radio channel allowing proper or best communication; (iii) storing the determined radio channel together with the selected position of the elevator car (6); (iv) repeating steps (ii) and (iii) for a selected number of different positions of the elevator car (6) along the hoistway (4).

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein a maximum speed of the elevator car (6) during the learning run is set slower than a maximum speed of the elevator car (6) during a normal run.

14. Method according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises switching between a plurality of stationary wireless communication modules (20) based on the determined position of the elevator car (6).

15. Method according to claim 14, wherein the stationary wireless communication modules (20) are distributed over a plurality of positions along the height of the hoistway (4).